Gastelum: Facing Bisping is better than Silva

Kelvin Gastelum believes a showdown against Michael Bisping at UFC Shanghai is much better for his career than locking horns with Anderson Silva.

Silva was pulled out of the main event of UFC Shanghai last week after potentially failing a drugs test, and Bisping stepped up to replace the veteran Brazilian, despite only losing his middleweight belt to Georges St-Pierre earlier this month.

But despite the late change of plans, Gastelum believes that getting a scalp such as Bisping’s would fast-track him into a world title shot.

“I honestly think this is a win-win situation for me. I get to go out there, get back in the win column hopefully, put on a great fight, show what I’m capable of, and I get paid again. It’s all positive from my perspective.

“Obviously [UFC 217] didn’t go my way.

“The best way to rectify that is to get straight back on the horse, so to speak, try to get back in the win column.”